Titanic wreck protection proposed

AUG. 2 — Congress is set to debate proposed legislation to create an international agreement with the United Kingdom, Canada and France that will lead to increased protection of the RMS Titanic and its wreck site.

The agreement would effectively exclude financing for and the ability to conduct unregulated salvage and other potentially harmful activities to the wreck site. The Titanic wreck site would be designated an international maritime memorial to those who died in its sinking and whose graves “should be given appropriate respect,” according to a press release from the U.S. Department of State.

Once this legislation is signed into law, the U.S. will deposit its acceptance and the agreement will become effective for the U.S. NOAA will lead in regulating dives to the Titanic shipwreck for the United States.